Aku and Samurai Jack!

Someone on Facebook asked “what would Aku look like in D&D 5E?” and to that I say: here’s a build for Aku and Samurai Jack (using the handy dandy mechanics in Mists of Akuma!, all of which I think are in the freebie PDFs)!

Amorphous. Aku can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.Color Scheme. Aku typically uses polymorph to change into the following forms: amorphous darkness (as darkness and gaseous form), bird, cannonball, cloud, doppelganger, dragon, frog, fish, giant beetle, giant spider, goat, gorilla, human, imperial dragon, kraken, manta ray, mouse, pacman, praying mantis, scorpion, snake, spiked tubeworm, squid, swarm of humanoids. Whatever form he takes, he always remains red, black, and green, and his reflection always shows his true form.Corruption. Aku may spend an action to transform up to 3 creatures he can see, forcing them to make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or be changed. The creatures gain the adeddo-oni template [MoA] and increase up to 3 categories in size, gaining both a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution as well as a +1d4 bonus to damage for its natural attacks for every size increase (to a maximum ability score of 22 and +4d4 damage). When a corrupted creature dies, it transforms back to its original form. In addition, Aku can spend 1 hour creating a contagion, device, or song able to utilize this feature.Immortality. Aku is immune to the effects of aging and requires no sustenance. Aku is also able to spend an action to impart immortality on a creature. After using this feature 3 times, Aku requires a long rest before he can use it again.Interstellar Travel. Aku is capable of interstellar travel, well beyond the speed of light.Magic Resistance. Aku has advantage on saving throws against arcane spells and other arcane magical effects.Mimicry. Aku can mimic animal sounds and humanoid voices. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 21 Wisdom (Insight) check.Object Creation. When Aku casts creation he may use it to make gold and other objects of exceptional value.Possession (Recharge 6). Aku can spit on a creature within 40 feet, forcing it to make a DC 19 Charisma saving throw or be possessed by Aku, taking on his appearance and personality as the target becomes incapacitated and loses control of its body. Aku now controls the body but doesn’t deprive the target of awareness. Aku gains access to the target’s class features and proficiencies but not knowledge. Creatures that were begat by Aku receive no saving throw. The possession lasts until the body drops to 0 hit points, Aku ends it as a bonus action, or Aku is turned or forced out by an effect like the dispel evil and good spell. The target is immune to Aku’s Possession for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw or after the possession ends.Precognitive Dreams. Aku sometimes receives premonitions of his future through dreams.Reducing Form. Aku reduces in size by one category for every 50 points of damage he takes, reducing his reach by 5 feet each time.

Spellcasting. Aku is a 24th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with spell attacks). Aku can cast animate dead, creation, polymorph, scrying, and telekinesis at will and he has the following wizard spells prepared:

Time Portal (1/long rest). Aku can spend an action to create a portal that sends any objects or creatures thrown into it forward through time by 3d100 years. A time portal created by Aku remains open for 5 minutes unless he expends an additional action fortifying it (in which case it can last indefinitely and also allow for creatures to return to the point in time that the portal was created).

ACTIONSMultiattack. Aku casts one spell and attacks with his eye beams or makes four unarmed strikes and attacks with his eye beams.Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 50 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d6+6) magical bludgeoning, necrotic, piercing, or slashing damage.Eye Beams.Ranged Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, range 500 ft., two eye beams that can each target one creature. Hit: 65 (10d12) fire, force, lightning, or slashing damage. Instead of dealing damage, Aku can cause a target to make a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or be harmlessly teleported to a point within his sight. Alternatively Aku can restore 12d6+5 hit points to a creature.

REACTIONSConcentrated Regeneration. Aku can spend a reaction to regain 30 hit points at the start of his turn. If Aku takes damage from a divine source, he cannot activate this feature at the start of his next turn. Aku dies only if he starts his turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.

Ancestral Weapon: Katana. Samurai Jack treats his katana with the same reverence he would a holy book or symbol. Accordingly, he never willingly parts with his ancestral weapon—he may not sell it, lend it to others, or otherwise abandon it. If for any reason his ancestral weapon is taken from him, he must do everything in his power to recover it.

Samurai Jack’s katana grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage. It is a divine magical weapon.

The first time he attacks with his ancestral weapon on each of his turns, Samurai Jack can transfer some or all of his weapon’s bonus to attack and damage to his Armor Class instead.

When Samurai Jack scores a critical hit with his ancestral weapon, his bonus to damage is doubled.

Aura of Protection. Whenever Samurai Jack or a friendly creature within 30 feet of him must make a saving throw, the creature gains a +5 bonus to the saving throw. He must be conscious to grant this bonus.Aura of Courage. Samurai Jack and friendly creatures within 30 feet of him can’t be frightened while he is conscious.Cleansing Touch (5/long rest. Samurai Jack can use his action to end one spell on himself or on one willing creature that he touches.Divine Sense (6/long rest. As an action, until the end of his next turn Samurai Jack knows the location of any celestial, fiend, or undead within 60 feet of her that is not behind total cover. He knows the type (celestial, fiend, or undead) of any being whose presence he senses, but not its identity. Within the same radius, he also detects the presence of any place or object that has been consecrated or desecrated, as with the hallow spell.Enjin Leaper. Samurai Jack’s training with a tribe of ape people granted him their incredible ability for leaping. He gains advantage on Athletics checks made to jump and doubles the distance of any jumps he makes.Fighting Style: Great Weapon Fighting. When Samurai Jack rolls a 1 or 2 on a damage die for an attack he makes with a melee weapon that he is wielding with two hands, he can reroll the die and must use the new roll. The weapon must have the two-handed or versatile property for him to gain this benefit.Honor Challenge (1/short rest). As a bonus action, Samurai Jack can shout out an Honor Challenge against an enemy creature he can see. Until combat ends or either he or his target gains the incapacitated condition, he receives immunity to all damage from attacks and spells made by creatures other than the target of his Honor Challenge, and resistance to damage from attacks and spells made by the target of his Honor Challenge. Any attacks Samurai Jack makes against creatures other than the target of his Honor Challenge deal half damage and are made at disadvantage.Improved Divine Smite. When Samurai Jack hits a creature with a melee weapon attack, he can expend one spell slot to deal radiant damage to the target (3d8 if a fiend or undead), in addition to the weapon’s damage. The extra damage is 2d8 for a 1st-level spell slot, plus 1d8 for each spell level higher than 1st, to a maximum of 5d8. The damage increases by 1d8 if the target is an undead or a fiend.Lay on Hands (100 points). As an action, Samurai Jack can touch a creature and restore a number of hit points to that creature, up to the maximum amount remaining in this pool. Alternatively, he can expend 5 hit points to cure the target of one disease or neutralize one poison affecting it.

Spellcasting. Samurai Jack is a 20th-level spellcaster that uses Charisma as his spellcasting ability (spell save DC 19; +11 to hit with spell attacks). Samurai Jack has the following spells prepared from the paladin spell list:

Stance of the Striking Serpent (3). Samurai Jack’s unarmed strikes deal an additional 1d8 piercing damage, he gains advantage on Acrobatics checks, checks and saves to avoid the prone condition, and creatures are at disadvantage to resist his attempts to grant them the prone condition.Unarmed Savant. Samurai Jack’s unarmed strike damage increases by one step (to 1d4) due to his soburi heritage and he gains proficiency in the Athletics skill.

ACTIONS

Multiattack. Samurai Jack makes two attacks.Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d4+1d8+4) bludgeoning and piercing damage.Ancestral Katana. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d12+6) magical slashing damage plus 4 (1d8) radiant damage and 2 (1d4) psychic damage. When Samurai Jack scores a critical hit that kills his opponent, he may make another attack against a target within his reach as part of the same action.Dashing Strike (5/long rest). As an action, Samurai Jack may make a single attack against a foe in between using his movement. This movement must be in a straight line, and take Samurai Jack through the space of the target of their attack. Regardless of if the attack hits, this movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks. If Samurai Jack’s attack hits and their movement both begins and ends outside of the target’s reach, this attack is a critical hit.Iaijutsu Strike (1/short rest). As an action, Samurai Jack can draw his weapon and attack with it. This attack deals 27 (6d8) additional damage.

REACTIONSSwordmaster (Feat). When an enemy would provoke an opportunity attack, Samurai Jack may spend his reaction to move up to his speed, ending his movement adjacent to that enemy (or as close as possible).Swordmaster (Feat). While wielding a katana, Samurai Jack can use his reaction to cut a missile in twain when he is hit by a ranged weapon attack, reducing its damage by 19 (1d12+1d8+1d4+6).

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